Cell
mechanics and cell-materials interactions are important for disease
diagnosis and tissue engineering. The synergistic combination of
computational modelling and experimental approaches allows exploring
phenomena in cell mechanics and mechanotransduction that are not easily
accessible with experimental methods alone. A hybrid
modelling–nanomechanical testing approach enables determining the
viscoelastic properties of the living cells, which is useful to quantify
the biomechanical effects of drug treatment, diseases and aging [1-2].
Such a nano-biomechanical technique can also be applied to assess the
micro(nano)scale mechanical properties of engineered bone [3],
extracellular matrix [4-5] and scaffold materials [6] which could
further the understanding cell-materials interactions. In addition,
this presentation will cover how cells respond to two-dimensional and
three-dimensional micromechanical environment [7-9], which will help a
better understanding of the mechanotransduction and provide valuable
guide for optimising scaffold design and cell manipulations for desired
tissue engineering.